Michael O'Neill has admitted that juggling his roles as Northern Ireland manager and Blackburn Rovers head coach is unsustainable, stating "you can't do both" after guiding Rovers to Championship safety.
O'Neill took interim charge at Ewood Park in February with the club languishing 22nd in the table, agreeing a deal until the end of the season. He also led Northern Ireland to a World Cup play-off against Italy in March, which they lost 2-0.
After Blackburn secured their second-tier status with a victory over Sheffield United, O'Neill acknowledged the dual role was more demanding than he anticipated. "It was tough enough to be honest and I maybe underestimated that a little bit," he told BBC Radio Lancashire.
O'Neill's contract with the Irish Football Association runs until 2028, and he confirmed talks with Blackburn will take place. "The club have a decision to make themselves on what direction they want to go," he said. "I'm a contracted manager, so if they wanted me, they would have to go through the IFA and meet the terms of the release clause."
He described his time at Blackburn as a "successful loan" and praised the people at the club. "I've enjoyed it. There's a lot of really, really good people at the club. Conversations will happen one way or the other in the weeks ahead."
O'Neill will lead Blackburn into their final Championship game against already-relegated Leicester on 2 May.